This Week’s Product Pick

GETAC (Lake Forest, CA) premiered its Model PS535F rugged, GPS-enabled PDA with on-board camera, altimeter, and E-compass. The PS535F is well-suited for GIS surveying applications across sectors such as utilities, oil and gas, forest patrol, and geology. Its 3-megapixel auto-focus camera enables instant visual data capture in the field, and its 3.5-inch VGA touchscreen display with sunlight readable technology enhances the viewing quality of graphic-intensive files and detailed maps. In addition to its GPS system, the product’s built-in altimeter and E-compass provide advanced navigation capabilities such as fixed positioning of longitude, latitude, and altitude. The PS535F carries comprehensive wireless connectivity options, including integrated Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11 b/g, and runs Windows Mobile 6.1. Weighing 10.7 ounces, the device can operate for up to eight hours on its fully-charged battery and features MIL-STD-810F and IP54 certification. “Our customers typically work in high-intensity environments and situations, which demand seamless and accurate information exchange between the main office and field workers,” related Jim Rimay, GETAC’s President. “The PS535F is the ideal solution for any field application that requires immediate response and action, such as fire and rescue teams, utilities technicians, and park rangers.”

GETAC’s PS535F Rugged GPS/PDA

Worth Your While

AIM Technology Leadership Summit
Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility
April 20-22
Chicago

Put RFID 2 WRK
RFID Journal Live
April 27-29
Orlando

KioskCom
(Self-Service Expo & Digital Signage Show)
JD Events
May 6-7
Las Vegas

5th Annual Partner Invitational
Ingram Micro Data Capture/POS Division
May 12-14
Phoenix

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 16-19
Chicago

NACStech
National Association of Convenience Stores
May 18-20
Grapevine, TX

RetailNow 2009
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
July 11-16
Las Vegas

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Ergonomic Earpiece Modeled by Vocollect

Vocollect (Pittsburgh) displayed its new, ergonomic headset for voice system workers, the SR-15, designed for employees who cannot wear typical “over-the-head” headset models due to hair style, religious headwear, or comfort issues.  Delivering the high-quality voice recognition performance and features of Vocollect’s SR Series, the SR-15 offers an ideal balance between rugged industrial headsets and lightweight headsets, according to the manufacturer. It operates with Vocollect’s voice devices and handheld mobile computers from certain Vocollect-affiliated manufacturers.

The SR-15 allows workers to operate comfortably through an eight-hour full shift. Unlike over-the-head models which require considerable clamping force, the SR-15’s innovative design gently positions it on the ears. It can be adjusted for either right or left ear. In addition to its use in the distribution center/warehouse industrial environment, its less obtrusive form factor makes the SR-15 suitable for use in applications in which workers are visible to, or interacting with, the public.

“Our strategic objective is to offer our customers and channel partners continuous improvement in everything we do,” offered Tom Upshur, VP of Product Management and Marketing at Vocollect. “The SR-15 is yet another example of how we have listened to our marketplace to create this headset option that provides maximum flexibility, comfort, and performance.”

Behind-the-Head Gear from Vocollect

Vandals Frustrated by New MicroTouch Screen

3M Touch Systems (Methuen, MA) introduced the MicroTouch System SCT7650EX, its next-generation, price-competitive, surface capacitive touch solution for vandal-prone, heavy-use environments.  Three key product features recommend the solution for use in unattended public applications such as ATMs, kiosks, and vending machines. First, the 3M MicroTouch System SCT7650EX is up to 40% less expensive than 3M’s current MicroTouch ToughTouch II system. Second, the SCT7650EX utilizes optically-clear laminated glass-on-glass construction for superior impact resistance and brighter, crisper display images. Lastly, the SCT7650EX leverages its conductive adhesive-bonded flexible circuit tail to achieve superior liquid and dust sealing between the touch sensor and display bezel.

“The SCT7650EX ruggedized touch system was designed based on voice-of-the-customer requirements for an economic, highly-durable solution in environments where glass breakage and user safety are important concerns,” noted Chris Tsourides, Business Unit Manager, 3M Touch Systems. “3M remains committed to the touch industry while investing in new product development that meets the needs of our customers despite the challenging economic times.”

The 3M MicroTouch System SCT7650EX’s laminated construction withstands the EN/UL 60950-1 impact resistance test. If surface breakage occurs due to extraordinary impact, the lamination helps isolate the glass shards between the touch surface and LCD to protect the user. In addition to providing high impact strength, the sensor construction can also include 3M Vikuiti Advanced Light Control Film (ALCF), which increases application security by restricting the display viewing angle and helping keep sensitive data private.

Rugged and Cost Competitive:  3M MicroTouch System SCT7650EX

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PARTNER PROGRAMS

V7 Spells Out “re-Commerce”

V7, the exclusive house brand for Ingram Micro (Santa Ana, CA) and provider of computer accessories, has launched an online trade-in program to reward customers for responsibly recycling old electronics. The V7 Trade-In and Recycling Program draws upon V7’s recycling partners Clover Environmental Solutions (Ottawa, IL) and Gazelle (Boston). Through the service, customers may trade used electronics for cash or gift cards, or use their reward to make charitable donations. Customers may also send in used products without economic value to be responsibly recycled. Free shipping and packaging are offered on many products and all personal information will be thoroughly removed from all items.

Products will be accepted from electronics categories such as LCD monitors, GPS devices, MP3 players, cell phones, PDAs, digital cameras, camcorders, laptops, and game consoles from any manufacturer, as well as all V7-branded products that require recycling. “V7 has always taken issues related to corporate environmental management seriously, and this program expands our capabilities to a much broader range of products,” commented Kevin Prewett, VP of Vendor Management for North America, Ingram Micro.

“By rewarding people for trading in products that reach their end of use, while enabling responsible recycling of those that reach their end of life, this partnership will encourage V7 customers to become eco-friendly consumers,” suggested Israel Ganot, CEO of Gazelle. “We look forward to working with V7 and powering this comprehensive new solution for their customers.” With his background at e-Bay and Amazon, Ganot got out of the gate early with his cash-for-old-electronics Web portal.  This combination of recycling and e-Commerce has given rise to the memorable term, “re-Commerce.”

Citrix Builds Simpler Partner Program

Citrix Systems (Fort Lauderdale, FL), perhaps the global leader in application delivery infrastructure, has kicked off CSA Authorized, an enhancement to its Citrix Solution Advisor Program that makes it easier for existing partners to expand their product portfolios and allows new partners to start selling Citrix products immediately with less upfront investment. These changes provide Citrix Solution Advisors at any level with the opportunity to sell Citrix Delivery Center products while working toward certification requirements. Prior to achieving certification, partners can earn full margins. Certified partners that participate in Citrix Advisor Rewards receive up to 15% additional margin on qualifying product sales.

“By allowing Citrix Solution Advisors to sell immediately upon enrolling in our program, we are eliminating the barriers and enabling them to more easily deliver virtualization from the desktop to the data center,” stated Al Monserrat, SVP, Sales and Services at Citrix. “Giving partners the opportunity to architect complete Citrix Delivery Center solutions, grow their business, and reduce the required upfront investment is the winning combination for Citrix and our partner ecosystem.”

“Now I can generate revenue as soon as the new product is released,” testified Kennith Rindt, Director of Strategic Alliances for AEC Group (Pittsburgh), which has attained the status of Platinum Citrix Solution Advisor. “With these program enhancements, Citrix has once again demonstrated that they understand the challenges partners face managing vendor programs and product authorization requirements.”

Code Corner

Pitney Bowes Insight (Lanham, MD) has addressed United States Postal Service (USPS) Intelligent Mail barcode incentives through its new relationship with WindowBook (Cambridge, MA). The joint solution, dubbed DAT-MAIL MSP, combines the power of WindowBook DAT-MAIL mailing software with Pitney Bowes Business Insight’s MailStream Plus software to help organizations meet the e-Documentation and e-Payment requirements for adopting USPS Intelligent Mail. Organizations implementing the comprehensive DAT-MAIL MSP solution will benefit from improved documentation accuracy, greater efficiency of mail production, and increased labor savings, according to the two parties. DAT-MAIL MSP provides a number of features and benefits, including the printing of Intelligent Mail tray/sack tags and pallet placards; expanded range of mail production reports spanning multiple clients, jobs, and dates; and electronic records retention. “More than ever, mailers are striving to improve processes that result in quantifiable savings,” observed Rob Pipe, VP of Product Management, Pitney Bowes Business Insight. “We’re committed to helping our customers understand and benefit from all of the Intelligent Mail incentives. Through our WindowBook agreement and the creation of our new Communications Intelligence Portal, we are providing our customers with the tools they need.”According to the USPS, mailers who comply with requirements for full-service Intelligent Mail barcode will now benefit from additional savings. Effective November 29, 2009, full-service compliance will yield an additional discount of $0.003 per letter for First-Class Mail and $0.001 per letter for Standard Mail. In addition, Address Change Service, or ACS, will be complimentary.

INTEGRATION

Hit the Button for Widgit

Cellit (Chicago) has released the touchscreen-compatible version of its Widgit technology, which allows retailers to track and redeem mobile coupons through the POS. Now store clerks can redeem offers simply by hitting the new button (movable and resizable) displayed on the screen.  Widgit provides real-time access to the database of coupon codes, and has been installed for clients of Cellit in lodging, gaming, and foodservice.

“The Cellit Widgit has received extremely positive response from retailers, both from its ease of integration and ability to track mobile ROI for clients,” reported David Wachs, President of Cellit. “With the expansion to this touchscreen version, we are now able to offer the same ease-of-use solution for virtually all Windows Point-of-Sale systems.”

Widgit falls under the Cellit Studio Platform, the company’s Web-based system for managing mobile marketing campaigns and customer relationship management (CRM) efforts. Through Cellit Studio, clients can create and deploy campaigns ranging from “text-to-vote” and “text-to-win” to alerts and surveys. By delivering unique coupon codes to each customer, “Cellit can extend or replace traditional marketing activities and generate truly traceable, measurable results,” said Wachs.

Widgit from Cellit brings Mobile Couponing to Touchscreen POS

Chasing SAP at InfoLogix

InfoLogix (Hatboro, PA) has formed the SAP Global Supply Chain Execution Services and Mobility Solutions Group, adding SAP supply chain to its existing SAP mobility and RFID practice for industries such as retail, consumer packaged goods, third-party logistics, wholesale, and pharmaceuticals. The InfoLogix team consists of SAP consultants who have recently joined the company with expertise in SAP Warehouse Management, Transportation Management, Event Management, as well as native SAP Auto ID/AIDC technologies, according to the company. In addition, InfoLogix announced it recently won three new software license and support deals with established SAP clients for InfoLogix’s Mobile Device Controller Utility.

“We are proud to attract such a talented group of people to our company to help launch our SAP Global SCE Services & Mobility Solutions Group and we’re excited about the business opportunities that this will create for our organization,” shared David Gulian, President/CEO of InfoLogix. “As we expand our supply chain mobility-enhancing solutions, it’s crucial to have our finger on the pulse of our customers’ needs, and the majority of our existing and targeted commercial clients have deployed SAP as their enterprise resource planning solution.”

In other news, SAP has named Rob Enslin as President, SAP North America. Enslin previously served as CEO and EVP of Fast Growth Markets, Global Field Operations at SAP, responsible for emerging markets significant to the software giant. Other former postings for Enslin at SAP have included CEO of SAP Japan, CEO of SAP Latin America, and COO of SAP America.

Key Advertiser Links

Be sure to visit these vendors for the latest in channel products and offers for resellers.

POS & Auto ID Distribution
BlueStar
M-S Cash Drawer

POS & Peripherals
pcCashdrawer
Pioneer POS
POS-X

Barcode Printers
Datamax

Cash Drawers
MMF Cash Drawer

Data Collection Terminals
CipherLab
Datalogic Mobile
Janam Technologies
Motorola

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems

Mobile Printing
O'Neil Product Development

Payment Processing
Precidia

Receipt Printers
Citizen Systems America
Star Micronics

Retail Software
Toshiba TEC

Screen Protection
3M Optical Filters

Video Surveillance & Access Control
ScanSource Security

INSTALLATIONS

KRM's in the Kitchen with QSR

QSR Automations (Louisville, KY) will provide its complete kitchen automation solution to the KRM Restaurant Group for its company-wide implementation in all 14 Kansas City-based 54th Street Grill & Bar Restaurants that will be completed at the end of this summer. KRM plans to install QSR’s ConnectSmart Hospitality Automation Solution—including the ConnectSmart Kitchen (CSK) graphical software along with eXpert hospitality controllers and KP-4000 keypads—to help maximize the talents of its managers throughout the restaurant, which it has identified as one of the necessary factors for continued growth.

With QSR’s ConnectSmart Solution, all “Five-Four” team members—chefs, servers, and managers—benefit from the customized visual presentation of the items and orders in process in the kitchen, according to the two parties. Later this year, KRM will add graphical menu cards to help protect quality while cutting down on clutter and print costs. KRM is also able to use a combination of touch monitors and keypads for interaction at each of the Five-Four kitchen stations. Perhaps most importantly, KRM has eliminated the calling out of orders over microphones, which creates confusion for kitchen help and disrupts the dining experience for guests.

“We made an extensive comparison to the proprietary kitchen system available from our Point-of Sale provider, and it was a clear choice to implement QSR’s ConnectSmart kitchen solution,” reported Al Stenner, Director of Information Services, KRM Restaurant Group. “The seamless interface between QSR’s kitchen solution and our POS software, coupled with QSR’s responsive service, means we do not lose anything by selecting this best-of-breed solution. And we absolutely gain the advanced features, functionality, configurability, and reliability we need in our complex, high-volume kitchens.”

QSR’s ConnectSmart Kitchen Package Empowers Restaurant Managers

Moneris Banks on VeriFone

Moneris Solutions (Toronto), Canada’s largest payment processor, has selected VeriFone (San Jose, CA) as its payments solutions provider in the recent $10-million contract for wireless, countertop, and integrated systems. To meet the latest countertop needs, Moneris chose VeriFone’s Vx 810 and Vx 810 DUET Systems, both of which can be pre-equipped or field-upgraded with contactless modules. The Vx 810 is deployed as the PIN-entry device integrated with ECRs and POS systems, while the Vx 810 DUET provides smaller merchants with an ergonomic two-in-one device that includes printer and modem.  Moneris also selected the GPRS version of the Vx 670 handheld payment terminal designed for wireless customer-facing payments in restaurants and home delivery.

“VeriFone’s Vx Solutions line provides us with options to meet the payment needs of our broad merchant base and their migration to EMV,” explained Moneris COO Jeff Guthrie. “Our partnership with VeriFone demonstrates our continued commitment to strengthen our relationship with our merchants, and provide them with superior and innovative technology to meet and exceed their payment processing needs.”

“This contract represents a tremendous competitive win over an incumbent supplier and validates VeriFone’s proactive efforts to meet the needs of the marketplace with fully secure, flexible payment solutions,” added VeriFone EVP Jeff Dumbrell. “We look forward to working with Moneris to serve the payment needs of its merchant customers.”

[Editor’s Note: Prominently featured on the Moneris Website is the processor’s “newest member of our retail family,” named Morris, for the Moneris Online Retail Register & Inventory System. A full-featured POS station, in other words, as the POS VAR and ISO worlds increasingly overlap.]

Channel Factoid

Software mergers and acquisitions (M&A’s) plummeted dramatically in 2008 and the well ran dry for software initial public offerings (IPO’s). According to SoftwareCEO.com, part of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), M&A’s around the world dropped to $290 billion in 2008, down one-third from the year earlier. There were only six tech-related IPO’s in 2008, down from 27 the year before. 2009 promises to be difficult for any software firms that rely on venture capital. In the recent survey of the National Venture Capital Association, 96% of respondents said they expect it will be harder for new companies to get funded in 2009, and 59% expect to see less investment in software. About three-quarters of those surveyed don’t expect the IPO market to re-open until 2010 or later. “In 2009, software companies need to protect their core value and be prepared to sacrifice everything else,” advised Robert Biddle, Publisher of SoftwareCEO. com.

MARKET WATCH

Windows-Based POS, Everywhere

POS terminals running Microsoft Windows operating systems increased from 71% of shipments to nearly 76%, taking share away from Linux and other operating systems in 2008, according to the new study by IHL Group (Franklin, TN), one of few market researchers to examine POS in depth. Overall shipments decreased 4.2% in 2008, with only Grocers and Supercenters/Warehouse Clubs seeing shipment gains. Other segments, such as Table Service Restaurants and Category Killers (large specialty hard goods retailers) saw the greatest decrease in shipments in 2008, according to the “2008 North American Retail POS Terminal Study,” which is available immediately from IHL.

“In a down year, Microsoft came out as a clear winner, particularly with their embedded operating platforms that are offered at a much lower price point than their traditional offerings,” said Greg Buzek, President of IHL. “This aggressive pricing and packaging of the operating platform not only took share from Linux, but also took a heavy toll on other legacy operating systems as retailers sought replacements as part of their PCI DSS compliance initiatives.”

Some additional findings of the POS market study will surely interest RRN.Com readers. The “ship share” of WEPOS and Windows XP Embedded terminals increased from 31% in 2007 to 34% in 2008. Windows Vista was used on 13.7% of all new POS installments in 2008, most notably as PC’s used as POS terminals for smaller retailers. Finally, the ship share of Linux terminals dropped from 10% in 2007 to 9.2% in 2008, largely because of its popularity in segments most affected by the economic downturn (Specialty Stores, Restaurants).

Although 2009 will be challenging, IHL said, there are numerous strategic opportunities for new POS terminals, as retailers continue to replace systems and upgrade software due to PCI DSS compliance requirements.

Greg Buzek, President, IHL Group